Thursday DFS Preview and Strategy
Thursday marks the first multi-game NFL slate of the 2025 preseason after last week's Hall of Fame Game kicked off the preseason. The three-game DFS slate kicks off at 7 p.m. EDT and features the Colts-Ravens, Bengals-Eagles and Raiders-Seahawks games.
Thursday's featured DraftKings contest is the $150k Preseason Special, with $18 entries and a $50k top prize, while FanDuel's $25k Thursday NFL Preseason Rush contest has $9 entries and $5k to first place.
Below, we'll break down preseason DFS strategy and recommended targets from Thursday's three-game NFL slate.
Roster Strategy
Both DraftKings and FanDuel DFS lineups consist of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE) and one DST unit. DraftKings uses PPR scoring with bonuses for 100-yard receiving or rushing performances and 300-yard passing games, while FanDuel has 0.5 PPR scoring. All players have the same salary cap hit in preseason DFS contests, so this format is all about finding the highest scoring fantasy players rather than balancing production against cost.
Teams typically rest key starters for the entirety or vast majority of preseason games, especially early in the preseason, so the strategy for preseason DFS contests centers on targeting youngsters or fringe roster players that are likely to see extensive playing time and make the most of it. One team's preseason QB competition provides a notable exception to that rule Thursday. Our RotoWire NFL Optimizer can help you pinpoint top DFS targets, in addition to the players highlighted below.
Quarterback
Anthony Richardson, IND at BAL: Richardson's expected to start and play midway into the second quarter Thursday as he competes with Daniel Jones for the Week 1 starting job. Richardson's fantasy-friendly dual-threat skill set is likely to be on full display, as he can't afford to hold back from running in this tight QB competition. He has 635 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs in 15 NFL starts and tends to air the ball out when he uses his arm, as questions about Richardson's passing are tied to accuracy but certainly not arm strength. With Baltimore's defense still working on communication early in the preseason, Richardson has a nice opportunity to connect on some deep balls with Indianapolis' speedy WRs.
Honorable Mentions:
Jalen Milroe, SEA vs. LV; Dorian Thompson-Robinson, PHI vs. CIN; Cooper Rush, BAL vs. IND
Running Back
Tahj Brooks, CIN at PHI: Chase Brown and Cincinnati's other starters are expected to play a few drives, but Brooks could see the lion's share of carries among Bengals RBs in the team's first look at the rookie sixth-round pick in a game situation. Veteran Samaje Perine is a known quantity while Brooks will have a chance to state his case for the second spot on the depth chart here and may even get some run alongside starters such as Joe Burrow. Brooks has impressed Bengals beat writers with his pass catching ability in camp.
Keilan Robinson, PHI vs. CIN: Robinson was a waste of a fifth-round draft pick for the Jaguars last year, as he spent the first 11 games of the regular season on IR and logged just two kickoff returns without a touch on offense before being waived in June. He was promptly claimed by the Eagles, where Robinson's path to a roster spot is tied primarily to his special teams contributions, though he will likely need to demonstrate some upside on offense to make the team. Saquon Barkley has nothing to prove in preseason and Montrell Johnson (hamstring) is unlikely to be available, leaving Will Shipley, AJ Dillon, Robinson and ShunDerrick Powell as Philadelphia's RB options Thursday, with Robinson arguably having the most to gain as someone with a realistic path to a 53-man roster spot but currently on the outside looking in.
Honorable Mentions:
Keaton Mitchell, BAL vs. IND; DJ Giddens, IND at BAL; Damien Martinez, SEA vs. LV
Wide Receiver
Tory Horton, SEA vs. LV: Horton has turned heads in camp, and the rookie fourth-round pick has already been running with the first-team offense alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. Unlike those other two WRs, Horton won't get veteran treatment in preseason, which should give him plenty of playing time to show off the skills that have wowed Seattle's coaching staff so far. Horton's draft stock fell due in part to a knee injury that required surgery in October, from which he has subsequently made a full recovery.
Dont'e Thornton, LV at SEA: Thornton was drafted in the fourth round, two rounds later than fellow rookie Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech, but the former makes for the slightly more intriguing DFS play in their respective NFL debuts. Thornton has drawn more buzz at camp in a Raiders wide receiver room without an established No. 2 option behind Jakobi Meyers, and the speedster out of Tennessee has game-breaking big-play ability, as Thornton averaged 25.4 yards per reception in his last college campaign before running a 4.30-second 40-yard dash leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft. Look for Vegas to dial up a couple deep balls Thornton's way Thursday.
LaJohntay Wester, BAL vs. IND: Wester's likely around the roster bubble in Baltimore as a rookie sixth-round pick. He'll likely get plenty of playing time Thursday since veteran starters Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins will play sparingly, if at all, while fellow youngster Devontez Walker is battling an undisclosed injury. Wester's an undersized slot type (5-foot-10, 163 pounds) who caught 26 touchdowns over his final three college campaigns.
Honorable Mentions:
Jermaine Burton, CIN at PHI; Ainias Smith, PHI vs. CIN; Adonai Mitchell, IND at BAL
Tight End
Elijah Arroyo, SEA vs. LV: Seattle's recent decision to release Noah Fant is indicative of the team's trust in 2024 fourth-round pick AJ Barner and 2025 second-rounder Arroyo to handle the load at TE moving forward. Arroyo's the more gifted pass catcher of the two, as he's coming off a 590-yard, seven-TD college season at Miami. The team will likely give Arroyo some targets in his professional debut to see how his receiving ability holds up in a game situation.
Honorable Mentions:
Charlie Kolar, BAL vs. IND; Will Mallory, IND at BAL; Michael Mayer, LV at SEA
Defense/Special Teams
Indianapolis Colts at BAL: The Ravens have an extensive track record of preseason success under John Harbaugh, but the personnel situation certainly seems to favor the Colts in this one, and that assertion is backed up by Indianapolis being a six-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. While the Colts will be playing starters as part of their QB competition between Richardson and Jones, and likely controlling the clock with their run-heavy first-team offense, the Ravens will be resting key starters such as Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, leaving Cooper Rush and Devin Leary under center to face the Colts defense.
Honorable Mentions:
Cincinnati Bengals at PHI; Las Vegas Raiders at SEA; Seattle Seahawks vs. LV
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